I was screaming in pain for 45 minutes

A footballer was left screaming in agony for three-quarters of an hour waiting for an ambulance after snapping both bones in his lower leg.

There was 20 minutes left of the game when Neil Mann, playing for Eaton Socon Reserves against Howden Sports, went to kick the ball at the same time as another player and shattered his tibia and fibula.

The 25-year-old “collapsed to the floor in agony” at the Histon Recreation Ground, where he lay for about 45 minutes waiting for assistance from an ambulance.

He was unable to move, so his coach and a few spectators covered him in coats to keep him warm and held umbrellas over him to shelter him from the rain last Saturday while they waited for the ambulance to come.

Michael Holt, chairman of Howden Sports, criticised the ambulance service for the time it took to arrive.

He said: “It was a really bad break. His bones were pointing in every direction and he was screaming – I don’t blame him.

“It was such a long time for him to be lying there on the ground, which was sodden and by the time the ambulance did come it was cold and dark.”

Chris Hill, manager for the team, said: “I’m not sure what a reasonable response time is, but I was expecting them to say within half an hour as we were only in Histon.

“As it was getting closer to an hour, it was becoming very uncomfortable to see him in that situation.”

Two paramedics from nearby Histon Football Club were alerted to the accident and were able to administer Mr Mann gas and air while he waited for the ambulance.

Mr Mann was taken to Addenbrooke’s where he has since undergone two operations on his leg and is said to be in “good spirits”.

Mr Mann said: “It was miserable. One of the worst things I have been through.

“I could just about take the broken leg, but it was the shivering – it was so cold, dark and wet.

“When you’re told an ambulance is on its way, it kind of lifts your spirits. But half an hour later when there’s no sign of them and its getting worse, it is a bit heart-breaking.

“I remember thinking some nasty thoughts, but the only logical one was – what is taking so long?”

A spokesman from the East of England Ambulance Service said: “We were alerted at 3.35pm and the call was graded a ‘Green 4’ call which is the lowest priority call.

“The response target for this grading is 60 minutes. The ambulance crew arrived at the scene at 4.21pm, which is well within the required timeframe.

“There was already a St John Ambulance crew at the scene treating the patient so he was being given immediate care by trained clinicians until our arrival.”

9 comments

A non-expert moving someone with complicated fractures like that is a really bad idea. I'd only personally attempt it if the person was going to die otherwise. What I'd like to know is what idiot graded the call as green 4. (Or, less likely, what idiot called 999 and then said something understated "we've got someone here who's hurt their leg a bit playing football".)

The big problem is the abuse of the ambulance service by those suffering only minor injuries who will phone for an ambulance to covey them to hospital. The ambulance is then unavailable for the more serious injuries/illnesses.

I attended the Histon v Chester game and was told someone had broken a leg at h/t,could not believe my eyes when i left the ground and saw the player being wheeled across the pitch in the pouring rain nearly one hour later,responces in a third world country would be quicker than our International Health service.

So it seems if you want an ambulance on the same day you have to over exaggerate the condition of the injury, normally telling them the person is drunk seems to give a quick response, as you never here of a drunk having to wait hours on the pavement do you?

twodogs. a shattered tibia and fibula is the worst fractures you can sustain in your lower leg. Had the club attempted to 'took him by car to A&E' the pain would have been so intense that he would have gone into shock with a massive risk of internal injuries and blood loss.

St Johns Ambulance was there, he seems more concerned about being cold and waiting for an ambulance. The football club probably did'nt want to move him incase they were sued, otherwise they could have took him buy car to A&E ?